Jaw-brace



DBC. 3, 1935. 1 plCKE-T 2,023,288

JAW BRACE Filed NOV. 30, 1934 INVENTOR 'giga y ,1% SPW Patented Dec. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

My invention relates to devices for holding the mouth of a person open and is particularly adaptable for use by dentists while filling teeth, and while administering gas and by surgeons while removing tonsils or performing any other operation in the oral cavity.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device in an inoperative position; Fig. 2 a top plan View thereof; Fig. 3 a front elevation of the body portion of my device showing its application in the mouth and also showing the plastic material as used therewith; Fig. 4 a bottom view with respect to the wedge shaped member of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 a vertical cross section View of my device in use; Fig. 6 a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. '7 a perspective view of my complete device.

My jaw-brace consists of a female member A and a male member B, the two members A and B co-acting together so as to form a complete device. Member A consists of two body portions I and Ia of substantially channel formation which are held in spaced relation from each other by means of a leaf spring 2, which is attached at its ends as at 3 to the body portions I and Ia. Spring 2 tends to maintain I and la in a predetermined relation and to resist any tendency of them to become separated. Members I and Ia are provided with flanges 4 and 4a respectively, flanges 4a being positioned in frictional contact with and within flanges 4. Both flanges 4 and 4a are of such vertical width and longitudinal length as to maintain contact with each other at all times.

Members I andla are also provided exteriorally to flanges 4 and 4a, with secondary flanges 5 and 5a, which are suitably molded in such a manner as to conform to the natural contour of the gums 40 or jaws of a patient. These auxiliary flanges are also provided with apertures 8 the purposes of which are described below. Member I is provided with an inwardly disposed lug 6 and member Ia with a similarly inwardly turned lug 6a,

45 the purposes of which are described below.

Member Bis in the form of a wedge, the smaller end 'I adapted to be inserted within the box-like compartment I5 formed by the members I and I a. Member B is also provided with a finger- 50 piece 9 to which a cord may be attached for safety. A similar precaution may be taken with member A. One face of B is provided with beveled notches I0, the inclined faces of which are in the direction of the small end 'I of member B which is also provided with longitudinal groove I I on its inclined face, the groove stopping short of the overall length of the inclined face as (Cl. 12S-12) shown at I2 and I3. The entering end of B is provided with a rounded surface I4.

Referring now to the operation of the device and the co-acting of the parts, in use a suitable plastic, such as wax, is placed within the con- 5 fines of the flanges 5 and 5a of member A and the member is then inserted, spring end first, in the mouth cavity between the jaws which come in contact therewith. The wax will be forced into conformation with the contour of the wearers jaw or teeth and thus allow individual adaptation of the jaw-brace in all cases, especially in instances of edentulous, partial or full dentition. By reason of entering the apertures in the flanges, the Wax or cushion will become attached to the flanges 5 and 5a and form a rm and suitable seat for the teeth or gums in connection with member A.

Member B is then inserted into space I5 between members l and Ia and forced forward in such a manner Aas to spread members I and la apart. The degree of spread is determined by the length member B is inserted and by the degree of angularity of the wedge. Lug 6 will en- 25 gage slot II and lug 6a will engage the beveled notches I0, the foremost of which is in communication with an elongated V-shape notch which acts as an entering notch and guide. It will be seen from this construction that after member B is inserted as described above it will be impossible for B to be dislodged unintentionally and will thus hold members I and la in any fixed predetermined separated position. When it is desired to release member B from its compartment, a slight tilting action on the linger-piece will release lug 6a from the notches ID, and the wedge can easily be withdrawn and members I and la allowed to resume their original positions.

It is to be understood that in the drawing I have shown only one of a set of jaw-braces which include a right, set forth in the drawing and a left jaw-brace.

I claim:

A jaw-brace consisting of a pair of channel members adapted to support plastic material toprevent displacement of the jaw-brace in a patients mouth and a means for spacing said channel members consisting of a U-shape flat resilient member; a means for spacing at will said members consisting of a wedge-like member, and a means for retaining said spacing which consists of a series of teeth on said wedge-shape member and a detent tooth attached to one of said saw-supporting members and a channel-like slot in said wedge-shape member and a detentlike tooth for engagement with said slot.

LOUIS PICKETT. 

